SWTOR Origins: Zairielle
by Revenaught
Summary: Star Wars: The Old Republic. The online video game put out by BioWare. Here is the origin story of my Wife's character the Sith Inquisitor Zarielle, telling of the events that led to her starting a life of training to become a Sith Lord.


**DISCLAIMER**

It is widely known that the Star Wars Universe is the creation of "The Man" George Lucas and most of the characters and settings in this story are the sole property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd.

Likewise Star Wars: The Old Republic is someone else's creation as well.

I am making no money from this story and no copyright infringement is intended. Star Wars is someone else's toy I am merely taking it down from the shelf and playing with it for a while.

Star Wars: The Old Republic. A brand new online video game put out by BioWare. Here is the origin story of my Wife's character the Sith Inquisitor Zairielle, telling of the events that led to her starting a life of training to become a Sith Lord.

On a side note, for anyone following my Star Wars what if story it hasn't been abandoned. Between life, working on this for my wife, and a complete rewrite of it, it's been seriously delayed but is still in progress.

* * *

**Zairielle's Origin**

Even though she was only 12, the young Twi'lek Zairielle just knew she was destined to be a Jedi. She had a famous ancestor who had been a well-known and influential Jedi. Her older sister Zoewii, oh how her lip curled at the thought of her older sister, was a Jedi. Zoewii had left last year to take the trials and her gloating superior sounding letter home said she had passed and was even now traveling the Galaxy. She was living it up as a Jedi with Rich important people bowing and scraping to her. Ok she hadn't written that last part, but Zairielle knew it to be true none the less. Zoewii was out there living Zairielle's dreams while Zairielle was stuck here rooting in the dirt! It wasn't fair!

Zoewii hadn't even wanted to become a Jedi! All she had ever wanted to do was waste her time playing music. But now she was a Jedi and that was all Zairielle could dream of. Nothing else mattered in the least and her parent's wouldn't even let her be properly tested! Well that would change today. She just knew that today her future would start going the way she knew it should.

"Zairielle!" Faolith, Zairielle's mother, screamed. Zairielle smiled to herself, her mother sounded absolutely beside herself. It served her right. And she's right on time Zairielle thought before she answered in an innocent sounding voice.

"Yes Mother?"

"Don't play innocent with me!" her mother roared back.

"What are you talking about Mother?" Zairielle asked trying to sound honestly bewildered.

"I said knock it off you rotten thing you! You left the gate open and our entire heard of Shirlith's escaped and ran off into the foothills! Your Father and all the hands have gone out to try and save them!" Faolith now towering over her young daughter raged down at her.

"But Mother, they were all there when I fed them this morning and I made sure the gate was shut tight when I left." Zairielle tried to defend herself.

"Exactly! They were where they belonged until you fed them and now the gate is propped open and they are gone! No one else has been near that pen today!"

"What do you mean propped open?" Zairielle asked.

"I mean propped open! As in a rock deliberately put under it so it couldn't close!" Faolith replied and Zairielle looked indignant.

"You're blaming me for a rock being on the ground? I suppose the one you stubbed your toe on last week was my fault too?"

"Your Father has that area swept clear of rocks weekly just so this kind of thing doesn't happen! That rock could only have gotten there by someone deliberately placing it there where it would keep the gate open just enough to let the herd out. And you were the last one there!"

"I'm hardly the only person living here Mother. There are lots of people who could have done such a thing. Why are you automatically blaming me?" Zairielle demanded resentfully.

"Because everyone else was working with your Father on a project since before you fed the herd! No one was unaccounted for! No one but you could have done it! Why Zair? Why would you do this to us?" The feeling of betrayal was thick in Faolith's voice. Zairielle had had enough of the game and got straight to the point.

"Do you really have to ask Mother? Do you really have to ask!" Zairielle exploded.

"You didn't!" Faolith gasped. "Tell me you didn't put all our lives in jeopardy just because we can't afford the cost of sending you to Tython to be tested!"

"I had to!" Zairielle raged back. "Being a Jedi and traveling the Galaxy is all I want and you refuse to help me!"

"We had Jedi Knight Saravell test you every time she was here. She never once detected enough Force sensitivity in you to train." Faolith said against Zairielle's accusation. Zairielle sniffed disdainfully at the Jedi's name.

"Saravell said her ability to detect Force potential was even weaker than her healing ability. I know I can learn. I'm probably even stronger than Zoewii! I just need a Jedi with real talent to test me!" Zairielle claimed. Faolith seemed to wilt, exhausted by an obviously well-worn argument.

"Don't you realize you have just ended any chance we had of earning enough to be able to send you?"

"Please!" Zairielle said scornfully. "You never had any intention of sending me. You couldn't bear the thought of someone upstaging your precious Zoewii!"

"What are you talking about?" Faolith asked sounding bewildered.

"You thought I didn't know! You think I didn't care that I'm not your favorite?" Zairielle demanded with a scorn laden voice.

"What?" was all Faolith could say. Zairielle's scorn thickened.

"Now you're the one playing coy Mother!" Zairielle snapped! "Whenever she's not here all I hear is; Zoe did this, or Zoe did that, or Zoe is so amazing! Or, and I really love this one Mother, why can't you be more like your sister Zoe! Gods! It makes me want to puke! Then when she visits, you all fawn all over her and I drop off the face of the planet! She never wanted it! I do! I hate her and I hate you!" Zairielle ended her rant screaming. Faolith raised a hand to slap the young girl but Zairielle held her head high daring her mother to justify her hatred.

"To your room." Faolith said as she lowered her hand and continued in a steely voice. "To your room until your Father returns and decides what to do with you!"

"I'm hungry." Zairielle stamped her feet. "I want some…" Zairielle started to reply ignoring her mother's command.

"I said to your room! Right now!" Faolith's rage erupted, but Zairielle screamed right back.

"No! I want breakfast!"

Faolith's control snapped and she lunged for her daughter screaming in rage. Zairielle realized she had pushed way to far squeaked and fled for her room. Fast as she ran though her mother caught her with a swift foot to her backside as she jumped through the door of her room! Zairielle's outraged wail was drowned out by the thunder of her door being slammed shut!

"The men and your Father are going hungry while trying to undo your actions! You don't eat until after they do!" Faolith's voice carried clearly through the door.

And so Zairielle sat in her room all day fuming about the unfairness of her life and plotting how to manipulate her father when he got home. Never having gone without food and water before Zairielle didn't have to pretend to be miserable when her father opened her door late that night.

"Poppa! Poppa!" Zairielle cried hoarsely as he entered. "I'm so thirsty. Can I have some water? Please Poppa." Zulthrier wordlessly put a tray with food and water down for her. Zairielle all but pounced on the food and drink but soon stopped under her father's silent stare. "Poppa I…"

"Why little one?" Zulthrier interrupted her.

"Poppa I didn't…" she tried to say but Zulthrier leaned down until his was staring her eye to eye and all the anger and hurt that could not be heard in his voice was blazing in his eyes.

"Why Little One? I would hear you say it straight out. If you have any hope of your dreams coming true tell me the truth. Tell me why!" The calm but urgent words, contrasting with his blazing eyes, unnerved Zairielle enough that she told the truth.

"I had to! Poppa, I had to! I have to be a Jedi! It's what I'm destined for but I can't make anyone see it! I had to do something to make you see me!" Her father straightened silently and left the room apparently not hearing her cries. "Poppa! Poppa please see me! Poppa!..."

A week passed and Zairielle was confined to her room the entire time. The only person she saw was her silent mother twice a day when she brought in very small meals that were barely enough to sustain her and certainly not enough to satisfy a growing girl's appetite. Nothing Zairielle said or did could illicit a response from her stony faced mother. Finally at the end of a week her father entered her room again.

"Poppa! Please Poppa I'm sorry! I didn't mean…" she started but got no further before he interrupted her.

"Shush Little One. It is done." He said calmly.

"What's done Poppa?" Zairielle asked fearfully.

"Your journey to Tython has been arraigned." Was all he said.

"You mean it!" ecstatic joy beamed from Zairielle's face. "I'm really going to…" but she broke off and squealed in joy as Zulthrier simply nodded. Zairielle started dancing around her room in exultation.

"Pack your belongings quickly. If you miss the ship there will not be another chance!" Zulthrier said as he turned and left the room. Desperate to not miss the chance she had finally won for herself Zairielle quickly packed her travel clothes and a few prized personal belongings in a carry sack and scampered out to meet her father in the hall.

"I'm ready Poppa!" Zairielle trilled.

"Then let's go." Was all Zulthrier said as he led her out of the house and across their land to the outer gate. Zairielle's bouncy gait faltered as they saw no one.

"Where is everyone Poppa? Aren't they going to see me off?" Zairielle asked pouting.

"No Little One. They are too busy trying to recover from the damage you have done to us to be here. Now hurry or you shall miss your ship." Her father said quietly. Mention of the ship was enough to divert Zairielle from the missing glorious sendoff she had always pictured.

"What kind of a ship is it Poppa?" It can't be a capital ship! There's no way a capital ship would stop here! But maybe it's a courier! A blazing fast courier with a special messenger who stopped here to refuel on his way to Tython! And you talked him into taking me with him!" Zairielle's flights of fancy grew wilder and ever more improbable as they travelled. She never noticed her father's growing looks of disgust. After half a day's travel they topped a rise and saw a city with a small space port spread out beneath them. The only ship visible at the port was a large bulky slow freighter. "Poppa! Where's my ship? Are we too late? Did it leave?" Zairielle asked panic rising in her voice.

"No Little One. Your ship is still here." Zulthrier assured her.

"That?" Zairielle asked in disbelief. "I'm gonna arrive on Tython in that?"

"Yes." was Zulthrier's only response to the horror in Zairielle's voice.

"Noooo!" Zairielle wailed. "I can't make a proper impression arriving in that!"

"It is that or nothing ever!" her father's tone left no doubt that this was her only chance.

"No! No! No! I'll make do somehow. I'm sure quarters aboard it will be dreadful but I'll have to manage, I suppose. When I'm not dining at the Captain's table I'll have my meals delivered to my room. I'm sure I can make the Captain see my need and get him to escort me to the Temple in his dress uniform once we arrive…." her imagination racing again Zairielle continued in this vein as they finished their trip and arrived at the ship. A middle aged human male, slovenly kept but also grizzled and hard, was at the base of the ships ramp overseeing freight being loaded on. Zairielle pulled away from her father and walked up to the man. "Dockman! Send one of your men and tell the Captain that his passenger is here!" she ordered in an imperious manner. "I don't wish to interfere with his operations more than necessary so he can escort me to my quarters and I shall do my best to remain out from underfoot."

The man instead of immediately jumping to obey her orders just stood there and looked her up and down then turned his head to look at Zulthrier. "So this is my new bilge rat huh?" he asked him.

"Bilge rat!" Zairielle exclaimed indignantly. "How dare you! Poppa! Make this cretin show me the proper respect and fetch the captain for me." But instead her father addressed the man.

"Yes Captain Hargrove this is her. I have not yet properly appraised her of her new reality. Please allow me a few moments to do so. And Captain, please do not hold her bad first impression against her."

"You have until the cargo is loaded. Should be plenty of time. Her slate will be clean when you bring her to me again. After that it's up to her." The Captain turned back and continued overseeing the crew loading cargo. Zairielle rounded on her father ire rising in her voice.

"Captain? New Reality? Poppa what's going on? You told me I was going to Tython!" she finished with her hands on her hips scowling at her father.

"You are. Your new owner will take you there and drop you off when his trading route brings him there in about a year." Zulthrier said coldly.

"A year! I can't wait a year! I need to be tested now… Wait! Owner! What do you mean owner?" Zairielle asked menacingly.

"I mean just that. I have sold you to him and he is now your Owner. You are now his property to crew aboard his ship until he reaches Tython. Then your service will be done and you will be free to leave his service. The temple has been made aware of the arrangement and will be awaiting you."

"Sold!" Zairielle said aghast. "Poppa how could you! You hate the slavers who sell off their own kind! How could you do this to me Poppa?" Zairielle scolded her father whose calm demeanor finally broke.

"You left me no choice!" he raged. "You deliberately set free the herd our family has spent your entire life trying to grow and improve! With one petty act you have destroyed that herd and ruined our family's chances of survival!"

"No Poppa! Well get them back! They have our brand, no one else can claim them." Zairielle tried to reassure her father.

"The Moufs don't care about brands! You set them free and the moufs destroyed nine tenths of the herd!" Her father roared. "We were lucky to save any of them! But we didn't save nearly enough to make it through the next season! Thanks to your selfish act of betrayal our family will starve!"

"No! Poppa I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Zairielle wailed.

"You knew it shouldn't be done! You cared more for your own selfish desires than your family's well-being! You were the instrument of our ruin now you shall also be the instrument of our salvation! The fee for your labor will pay enough to buy stock to start repairing our herd. It might be enough to save us but only time will tell."

"Nooooo!" Zairielle continued to wail. "Poppa no! You can't sell me! Don't you love me?"

"Child, if I didn't I could have sold you permanently for enough to buy three herds. I didn't. I arranged for you to make your way to where you want to be even if you will have to earn your way. You will go to Tython but despite our love for you I tell you this now. Even if they discover Force potential in you they will never accept you as a Padawan." Zairielle gasped at his proclamation.

"Why?" she asked breathlessly.

"Because you are the polar opposite of a Jedi. You know nothing of self-sacrifice for others but instead see nothing wrong with sacrificing others for your desires." he told her.

"You're wrong! I will be tested and found worthwhile!" she said as she stamped her feet again.

"Maybe, but probably not. Either way from the moment you end Captain Hargrove's service on Tython you are on your own. You are no longer a part of this family." he said

"What? Nooo Poppa!"

"Yes Little One. You will never again have the chance to betray this family." Zulthrier grabbed Zairielle by and arm and dragged her over, kicking and screaming, to Captain Hargrove. "Captain, here is my end of the bargain." and he shoved Zairielle to her knees at the humans feet.

"And here is my end of the bargain." The captain told Zulthrier as he handed over the promised credits and then turned to one of his crew. "Bo!" a thoroughly disreputable looking individual answered.

"Yes Capin!"

"Take the new bilge rat aboard and lock her in a cabin until we get underway." Hargrove ordered.

"Yes Capin!" Bo answered and picked up a wailing and kicking Zairielle and carried her under one arm aboard the freighter.

"Welcome aboard the Stellar Convoy Bilge Rat." Captain Hargrove said to the screaming Zairielle as she was carried away then he looked to Zulthrier. "I couldn't help but overhear. I know you didn't want to do this. I promise not to needlessly mistreat her, but I can't afford someone aboard who doesn't earn their keep."

"Do what you must. We have failed her. Maybe at your hands she will learn enough humility that the Jedi might be able to redeem her." Zulthrier said somberly.

"Is there anything you want me to tell her if she comes around?"

"No. She has no chance of learning if she's allowed to escape the consequences."

"Very well. Good Luck with your herd."

"Fare thee well Captain."

Hours later aboard Captain Hargrove's ship the Stellar Convoy a sullen Zairielle was sitting alone in a very small room when the door opened and Captain Hargrove entered.

"Bo tells me you have refused to learn your new duties." he started.

"I'm not doing those dirty, disgusting, revolting tasks!" Zairielle replied full of scorn. "My father sold me off into sla…servitude but I will not debase myself like that."

"What makes you think you have a choice in your duties?" Hargrove asked grinning.

"Simple. I refuse to do them." She declared, still smiling Hargrove replied to her assertion.

"Look her bilge rat. There are certain systems aboard ship that need an organic touch to clean properly. Unfortunately they require a smaller and more limber being than the normal spacer in order to get to and clean them. They're dirty, stinky, nasty, foul, demanding, disgusting, and revolting jobs. But, they're vital if the ship is to keep running efficiently. That's why I pay my bilge rats better than anyone else on the crew. I'm down one at the moment which is why you're here."

"I don't care. I'm not getting paid, I'm a slave! If I must serve it will be at tasks befitting someone who is travelling to Tython to train to be a Jedi." Zairielle replied with her nose in the air.

"You are being paid and you will do what has been assigned to you." the Captain told her.

"Paid! I see no credits in my hand Slave Master!"

"I never claimed you were getting paid with credits. Your pay is far more vital to you than mere credits bilge rat."

"How then?" Zairielle demanded. "What is worth more than credits?"

"While aboard a ship in space? That would be air, food, water, not to mention travel to your desired destination."

"You can't withhold such necessities!" Zairielle gasped in horror.

"The air I will grant you but the rest I can and will until you earn them. You do the assigned work and do it well or you go hungry. If that isn't enough incentive you can go thirsty as well. On top of that my contract with your Father was specific. I will drop you off at Tython a free being, but if you haven't given me full value in your service I don't have to release you at this particular stop there."

"What?" Zairielle said stunned, then brazenly. "You're bluffing!"

"I never bluff." Hargrove replied. "Let one of the crew know when you're ready to earn some food." Hargrove told her as he turned and left the cramped room, locking the door behind him. Leaving her alone with no food and only a small cup of water.

Zairielle's tantrum was truly impressive. Unfortunately for her, part of her histrionics involved hurling her only cup of water at the cabin door. Once she wound down and sat sullenly in silence for a while she realized her tantrum had left her rather thirsty. After finally getting a crew persons attention she was stunned to learn that had been her only ration of water for the morning and no more was allowed until the evening. The following tantrum was epic but resulted in no more water until her evening ration.

The next morning another small cup of water was given her and she gulped it greedily as soon as it was handed to her. The rest of the day was spent miserable and sobbing as she faced the horror that had become her life. That night Captain Hargrove again entered her small room.

"So my little bilge rat. Have you decided to work for your dinner yet?"

"No!" Zairielle spat at him.

"Very well. Here's your water I'll see you tomorrow." Hargrove said as he sat down her evening ration of water and turned and left her alone again. The next morning she again drank her water but refused to work for her food. That evening however she could stand it no longer.

"So, have you changed your mind yet?" asked Captain Hargrove when he again brought in her evening water ration.

"Alright fine! You're all too willing to starve me to death if I don't slave for you. I'll do it just feed me."

"Excellent! Come with me and we shall get right to it." The Captain turned and left the room leaving the door open this time. Zairielle made haste to follow him. At the end of a short trek across the freighter they ended up at an open hatch to a small crawl space with a pouch full of cleaning tools, designed to clean sanitation processing filters, sitting by it. "Here you are." Captain Hargrove said waving toward the hatch. "Take your tools and head on in. Durn is already in there at work, he'll show you what needs doin. Pay attention and do the job right because your quality and amount of food will depend on the quality and speed of your work."

"Wait a minute!" Zairielle protested. "Where's my food?"

"Waiting in the galley until you earn it first." Hargrove answered.

"I can't work with no food! Feed me!" Zairielle demanded.

"You'll survive long enough to earn your first meal Bilge Rat."

"No! I demand you feed me first!" Zairielle said as she stamped a small foot.

"Insulting me is not a good way to get a quality meal Bilge Rat. I'm not that stupid. If I feed you now you'll just refuse to work afterward, so you work first then you can eat."

"How did you…I mean I would do no such thing!" Zairielle backtracked. "I just need food. I'm so weak." she said sounding truly pathetic.

"Not buyin it Bilge Rat. Now what's it gonna be? Work or back to your room?" The Captain's ultimatum only evoked another tantrum on Zairielle's part. Her screaming and yelling and kicking continued all the way back to her room and long after Hargrove left her alone. The following night cold, alone, and hungry finally broke her resistance. The next morning she started learning her new role in life.

* * *

**Three Months Later.**

Life aboard ship had settled down to routine and the crew no longer paid any real attention to their newest Bilge Rat. One night Zairielle overheard two crew members talking about trying to find the Captain's lockbox. Wasting no time she immediately tracked down the Captain.

"Captain!"

"What is it bilge rat?" he asked.

"I overheard some of your men plotting against you." She says urgently.

"Really? Who?"

"My information will cost you." She said slyly.

"And what is your price?"

"A course change directly to Tython!" Zairielle exclaimed.

"Not a chance." Was the Captain's flat reply.

"What!" Zairielle demanded incredulously.

"Nothing you can tell me is worth making that kind of alteration to my scheduled stops."

"But some of your crew are trying to find your lockbox. If you don't know who it is you could lose your valuables." Zairielle tried to convince him.

"Ah you mean Tag and Driar. Those two are always trying to find some secret stash I'm supposed to have. They're harmless cause there's nothing for them to find."

"But I thought…" Zairielle trailed off trying to figure out how her victory had vanished.

"You thought you could rat out a couple of your fellow crew members and blackmail me into sacrificing my schedule and dropping you off early. Well it's not gonna happen but I'll tell you what this once I won't tell the crew you were willing to stab them in the back if you get back to work asap! We're a pretty tight crew but some of them get mighty prickly at the thought of betrayal. If you get my meaning." He finished leaning down toward her his words darkening with obvious ill intent. Zairielle took his meaning all too well and with a squeak of terror ran off down the corridor.

* * *

**Four months later.**

Zairielle had taken to following the Captain surreptitiously until finally she saw him open a very well camouflaged door into a secret room while the ship was taking on supplies and the rest of the crew was occupied elsewhere. Zairielle just smiled to herself and started pondering how to make the best use of her newfound information.

Her chance came halfway to the ships next stop. The quiet routine of the ship was interrupted by ion cannon fire discharging the Convoy's shields and playing havoc with her systems. The crew attempted to fight off the boarding pirates but they were swiftly stunned in the chaos and rounded up in one of the cargo holds. The pirate captain looked over the assembled beings and then looking directly at Captain Hargrove he ordered. "Captain call the rest of your crew."

"My crew is all here." Hargrove answered. Captain Rails lifted his blaster and sent a nasty bolt into Captain Hargrove's side causing a severe burn but no life threatening damage.

"I said call your crew. That includes your bilge rats!" the pirate captain snarled eagerly looking for another opportunity to fire again.

"All right! All right." Hargrove said quickly. "Zair, Durn come on out." From secluded hatches the two bilge rats emerge and are quickly grouped with the rest of the crew.

"That's better." Rails purred. "Now then Captain what is your cargo?"

"Nothing worth all this." Hargrove replied. "All we have are bulk foodstuffs bound for Marathoon."

"Excellent! My ship was running low on consumables and my crew gets so cranky when they don't eat well." Rails gloated while his crew laughed and poked each other in the ribs at their Captain's wit. "Now Captain where is your secret stash?"

"In my cabin. Hidden wall safe. Punch 538649172 into the comm unit." Hargrove answered sullenly.

"I knew it had to be in there!" one of the crew exclaimed to another who just glared at him fiercely.

"Excellent!" Captain Rails said. "You show intelligence. Rast! Go find the Captain's cabin and inventory that wall safe for me."

"Right away Captain!" one of the pirate crew replied and ran off to search the ship. Before long he returned looking disappointed. "Only had some creds and a spare blaster in it Captain."

"Captain Hargrove let me rephrase the question. Where is the secret shipment you are carrying?"

"What secret shipment?" Hargrove asked. "I told you all we're carrying is bulk foodstuffs." Rails displayed his opinion of that answer by using his blaster to give Hargrove another nasty burn.

"I have been gentle with you so far Captain. I know you have a secret shipment of Jedi artifacts from the ruined Jedi temple on Coruscant. The Jedi deliberately chose a slow and indirect route for the transport which is why they chose you and this garbage scow for the job.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Hargrove moaned in pain. Rails simply kept on delivering burn after burn to the writhing Captain who continued to desperately deny having any such shipment.

"I admire your resolve as much as I abhor your stupidly futile resistance." Rails told him. "I'm going to start shooting off fingers and toes from your crew if you don't tell me what I need to know!"

"No!" Hargrove yelled desperately! "I've told you the truth! There is no secret shipment! Just the food! Hurting my crew won't change that!"

"How much they suffer is entirely up to you." Rail said menacingly.

"I can't tell you about something that isn't there!" Hargrove cried beseechingly!

"True." Admitted Captain Rails. "But, since it is here somewhere you can tell me of it if I give you ample enough reason to do so."

"There's nothing there! Please!" Hargrove begged. Rails ignored him and proceeded to work on torturing the crewmembers. Through long hours of pain and screams Hargrove never changed his story. At last Rails came to Zairielle and he looked her up and down and then looked over at Hargrove.

"This is a scrumptious little morsel. I bet she even screams prettily."

"I've told you there's nothing here!" Hargrove repeated himself. Rails simply raised his blaster and pointed it at Zairielle.

"No! Wait!" Zairielle cried urgently.

"Beg your captain little one. I can't help you. Only he can." Rails urged her.

"I…I don't need him to save me." Zairielle said, which caused Rails to lean over and study her closely.

"And why is that little bilge rat?"

"Because I know where the secret hold is." She blurted out.

"Ah ha!" Rails shouted triumphantly.

"You traitorous little pile of Bantha Bile!" Hargrove yelled at Zairielle.

"Be a good lass then and tell me where the secret is hidden." Rails said enticingly.

"You want something, I want something. Trade me for it." Zairielle said her resolve firming up.

"And why would I do that when I can just torture the info out of you?"

"Because I'll never tell you unless you agree to my price."

"I can make you tell me little one." Rails said in a voice that dripped with menace as he loomed over her.

"No, you won't" Zairielle said calmly as she looked the pirate captain straight in the eyes.

"Why is that?" Rails asked.

"I have no choice. I'm already their slave. I'll fare as badly or worse with them as you just for daring to make the offer! If you don't agree, no matter what you do to me I'll refuse just to spite you!"

"Hmmmmmmm…..I think I believe you." Rails told her. "Tell me then, what is it you want in return?"

"I want passage to Tython. As a passenger not a bilge rat!" Zairielle replied but Rails only laughed.

"Ha ha ha haaaaa! You jest with me little bilge rat!" Rails said in high humor that faded as quickly as it flashed in view. "But I have no time for jests! You know what I'm here for. The last place I'm going to go after stealing Jedi artifacts is a planet full of Jedi!"

"So you don't take me yourself, you arrange for someone to take me." Zairielle countered.

"Hmmm…" Rails pondered a moment. "Zoll does owe me a favor. It's no luxury liner mind you."

"So long as I'm a passenger and it's a straight trip I don't care." Zairielle assured the pirate.

"But how do I know you won't tell the Jedi all about me and what I took?" Rails queried her.

"Because I don't care about a bunch of dusty old relics!" Zairielle exclaimed. "I plan on forgetting about this ship and everything and person associated with it as soon as I possibly can! And even if I wanted to what can I tell them? I don't know you or your ship, I am after all just a bilge rat!"

"Ah! But a bilge rat with ambitions! Very well then! You let me into that secret hold and I shall arrange your passage to Tython, as a passenger of course. Deal?" Rails asked.

"Deal!" Zairielle exclaimed.

"Rast! Take the crew here, collar them, and put them into the pens. Then transfer the foodstuffs and anything else easily salvageable that's worth the time. And we don't have much time so speed is of the utmost importance!" Rails ordered and Rast moved to comply.

"No!" Hargrove yelled. "You have what you want. Take it and leave us be!"

"I can't have you free to tell tales Captain. You have two choices. Walk through this airlock to my ship and see what life holds or walk out the other airlock and float in the void for eternity. What is your choice?"

"Life." Hargrove said sullenly.

"Good choice!" Rails said enthusiastically! "Rast move!"

"Aye aye Captain!" Rast answered and moved to follow orders while Zairielle lead Rails off to show him the secret hold. Tenderly Rails gathers up the priceless relics and leds Zairielle over to his ship and down to the holding pens. Acting as if he was going to show her something he slipped a shock collar around her neck and shoved her into a pen with the rest of the Convoy's crew!

"We had a deal!" Zairielle exclaimed indignantly!

"I changed my mind. Put your dreams of Tython away bilge rat! You will never set foot on it. Rast! Is the scow prepped?"

"Aye aye Captain. It blows 10 minutes after we leave the area."

"Excellent! Get us under way then. We have a rendezvous to make. And make sure this lot doesn't do any permanent damage to each other. The Hutt doesn't buy overly damaged goods."

"Understood Captain!"

Zairielle huddled away from the rest of the crew wallowing in her misery at the blatant unfairness of her life. Hargrove was separate from the crew as well, but that was the crews choice not his. When food was finally placed in the pen Zairielle was beaten by Bo when she approached it. Moving slowly Hargrove steped in and stopped the beating. Zairielle tried to stay close for his protection but he kicked her away snarling at her.

"Why?" she asked bewildered.

"You should know why you traitorous little whomp rat! I only needed to stall them 15 more minutes and the Jedi would have shown up before they could have finished the transfer! We would have been safe and you would have had your quick trip to Tython! Now we are all going to be true slaves to a Hutt and never be free again." Hargrove snarled with a final blow that sent her back to her corner.

Late during that day's night cycle Zairielle was jarred from a fitful doze by Bo jumping on her and ripping at her clothes! Captain Hargrove limped over and managed to drag Bo of the screaming girl and shoved him back towards the rest of the crew.

"Knock it off Bo! I can't say as she doesn't deserve it but I swore an oath to her Father to care for her and no crew of mine is gonna do that to her!" Hargrove ordered.

"But you said it yourself _Captain_!" Bo answered back putting heavy sarcasm on the word captain. "We're not your crew anymore! We're all Hutt slaves and this might be the last chance I ever have!"

"Not gonna happen Bo!" Hargrove said and stepped firmly in between Bo and Zairielle. "Now back down!" he ordered, but Bo approached with more of the old crew at his back.

"Do yourself a favor and you stand down, _Captain" _Bo retorted.

"Alright Bo. Have it your way." Hargrove says resignedly but instead of turning away he stepped forward and hit Bo hard in the face sending the other man staggering backward. The other men with him were momentarily stunned but then they all lept forward to attack their former Captain. Hargrove despite his many wounds briefly held his own but Bo crawled forward and wrapped himself around Hargrove's legs and he was pulled down and a vicious beating began. Soon they left the motionless Hargrove and turned toward Zairielle. With nowhere to run she was soon torn out of her clothing and pinned to the ground with a man holding each limb down. Bo, leering and laughing at her, dropped his pants and started to get into position when Rast, watching from outside the pen, dropped them all with the shock collar remote.

"None of that you lot!" Rast yelled at them when they had recovered from the shock. "She'll fetch us a better price untouched."

"You want her untouched you better get her out of here cause if nothing else I'll kill the little whomp rat!" Bo snarled back.

"I do believe you're that stupid." Rast says and drops Bo with his collar which he left on then turned to give orders to a nearby crew member. "You! Get the girl and bring her here." After Zairielle had been dragged from the pen and stood shivering before Rast trying vainly to cover her nakedness the pirate looked down at her with a grin as he finally released the current flowing through Bo's collar. "So, what to do with you now?"

"My clothes?" Zairielle asked plaintively.

"I don't think so. I'm rather enjoyin the view don't ya know. But I'll tell ya what. It's gonna be several days until we off load the lot of you at the Hutt's slave market. Until we get there you can choose between food or clothes. What's your pick?"

"Food." Zairielle said sullenly.

"Good choice. But I'll tell ya what. You perform the same bilge rat duties for us as you were for them and I'll give you some decent food not the slop we give those in the pens and I'll give ya something to cover up with before we hand you over to the Hutts. Deal"

"But…"

"No buts! That's your best deal right there. If you turn it down I'll parade you up and down the passage ways of this ship for the crews viewing pleasure and string you up in the galley and leave your shock collar on mild so they can watch you twitch and squirm. Now what's your choice?"

"I'll do it." Zairielle mumbled

"What's that? I can't hear you." Rast said just for spite.

"I said I'll do it!" Zairielle screamed.

"Good girl." Rast turned to the other pirate still in the vicinity. "You! Take her and show her to her new temporary master. Our bilge rat will appreciate the help."

* * *

**Weeks later.**

It was a freshly scrubbed Zairielle in an overlarge ratty shirt that didn't do much for her modesty that was thrust into the line of captives being offered to the Hutts. Bo immediately made to hit her but Rast was waiting for it and zapped everyone hard.

"We've already determined he's too stupid to behave around her so it's up to the rest of you. Keep him in line or you all pay." Rast announced to all. The rest of the Convoy's crew grouped around Zairielle and glared so fiercely at Bo when he moved in at her again that he gave up and just glared sullenly at her. After hours of waiting they were lined up against a wall for a Hutt agent to inspect them.

"What a pathetic bunch! You're wasting our time Rails!" the Agent said in tones of disgust.

"You say the same thing every time I bring you a new batch." Rails replied unperturbed. "Let's skip the lies and get straight to the deal making this time."

"You wanna skip the foreplay? Fine 10,000 credits for the lot of them." The Agent responded.

"Not a chance!" Rails exploded. "The Twilek girl is worth twice that alone! She's untouched! Add a zero to that figure and we have a deal."

"Now you really are wasting my time!" the Agent fumed and turned to walk away.

"All right! All right! Cut that in half to 50,000 credits." Rails spoke up quickly

"I'll double my original. 20,000 credits." The Agent countered.

"Double that. 40,000 credits and not a single credit less." Rails pronounced

"Triple my original. 30,000 credits. Take it or leave it." The Agent stated.

"Not this time." Rails replied. "You take a good look at that little Twi and remember your boss isn't the only slaver lookin for prime product out there. It's 40,000 credits and no less. You meet that price or I load em back up and go elsewhere, permanently."

"You're willing to risk Unisoryll blacklisting you permanently over one girl?" the Agent asked in clear threat.

"But it's not just one girl." Rails replied with some heat of his own. "You and I both know you took advantage of us last time when we were hard up. Situation is different this time. I'm recouping those losses or I'm going elsewhere. It's just business and nothing personal as you told me then."

"Sounds like you took it pretty personal to me." The Agent said sounding reproachful.

"Hey! You can't have good business unless you keep your supplier willing to provide you your product. Am I right?" Rails crowed with false good cheer.

"Fine. But don't let me find out you've been supplying our competition." The Agent warned.

"You want that guaranteed it will cost you a whole lot more! Outside of that I'm content selling here and have no reason to go elsewhere so long as you don't give me one." Rails said completely serious now.

"All right, all right. Hand em over and I'll arrange your credits."

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you!" Rails exclaimed all smiles again. "Oh and watch out for that one" he said pointing out Bo, "he wants to ruin and kill the prize of the group and will if given even half a chance regardless of what might happen to him afterward."

"He'll learn restraint unless he wants to amuse Unisoryll for weeks with his screams as Kratmoor slugs slowly eat his skin. Crazy little bastards only eat skin. They leave muscle, veins, and nerves and so forth all intact." The Agent says conversationally all the while looking directly at Bo. Bo shudderd and dropped his gaze. The Agent motioned to a servant, "You, take this lot to the holding area until we can sort them out. I'm taking this one to see her new master."

In Unisoryll the Hutt's audience chambers the enormous Hutt reclined on his hover throne surveying his kingdom while appearing to ignore it all. The Agent strode into the room holding Zairielle behind him as he begged for an audience.

"Benevolent Unisoryll the Hut, a moment of your time if you will?"

"What is it now?" the giant slug answered in Huttese.

"If it please you mighty one, we picked up a new batch of slaves today."

"Anything good?" Unisoryll asked in bored tones.

"Run of the mill stuff oh mighty one. Some arena fodder, some general labor. And this." the Agent pulled Zairielle around and held her where the Hutt could get a good view of her. Unisoryll perked up a bit at the sight of the lithe young Twilek.

"Ah my friend a nice find there. The price?" Unisoryll says.

"Captain Rails thinks he scammed us but she was very affordable." The Agent said smugly.

"Good! Good! She has the looks that you two legged types go crazy for." Unisoryll said musingly.

"She is most appealing my Lord." The Agent agreed.

"Where is my Broken Blade?" Unisoryll roared out. A middle aged woman, lean and hard, stepped away from one of the walls and answered.

"I am here my, _benevolent,_ master." Despite an outer show of respect her voice dripped sarcasm on the word benevolent. The Hutt only grinned at her impertinence.

"She is yours now. See that she is prepared to fulfil her duties perfectly. She is to be my highest reward offered for use only by those who have pleased me the most!" Zairielle started to wail at this doom but the woman cuffed her sharply and silenced her.

"Yes my Master." Broken Blade replied. Turning to Zairielle she grabbed her and started leading her from the hall. "Come along girl."

"What does he mean used by those who please him?" Zairielle asked nervously.

"I think you know full well what he meant. You will be the sexual toy of whoever Unisoryll offers you to and they will do anything they want to you so long as it doesn't permanently damage or disfigure you. You will love it or at least convince them that you do!" Broken Blade told her harshly holding nothing back.

"I most certainly will n…..AAAAHHHHH!" Zairielle started in indignant tones that broke off in a wail of pain as Broken Blade used her shock collar to zap her hard.

"Learn this lesson now little one. Your new Master loves breaking and then killing slaves who say what you almost said." Broken Blade said coldly.

"But I ca….AAAAAHHHHHH!" Zairielle breaks off screaming as the collar brutally shocked her again and for longer this time. When it finally stopped Zairielle lay huddled on the floor sobbing.

"Now get up and follow me!" Broken Blade ordered, but Zairielle started wailing her misery instead.

"Is there a problem my Broken Blade?" Unisoryll the Hutt asked as the wailing got his attention. Broken Blade quickly started zapping Zairielle again to silence her wails.

"No my most benevolent Master! She will learn or her death will be a spectacle that your honored guests will remember for a lifetime." Broken Blade assured her sadistic master.

"Ah! Well said. Well said. Carry on my Broken Blade." The Hutt said.

"Yes my Master." Broken Blade replied. Then leaning low over Zairielle she stopped the electric current coursing through the small Twilek. "Now you will get up and follow me now or I leave this on and have the weakest slave Unisoryll owns drag you to my chambers. It should only take him about a day or so to get you there." Broken Blade's tone left no doubt in Zairielle's mind that she would do just that. Trembling, shuddering, and still quietly sobbing Zairielle dragged herself to her feet and followed Broken Blade out of the chamber. Soon the two women were in Broken Blades office where the older woman studied Zairielle for a moment then snarled at her, "Now quit your sniveling brat!". Zairielle did just that but continued to glare hatefully at Broken Blade. "Ah, you do have some spirit in you."

"I hate you! If it's the last thing I do I'll make sure all of you pay for treating me like this!" Zairielle lashed out.

"Good! Focus that passion. It might help you survive." Broken Blade encouraged her, but it confused Zairielle.

"Survive?"

"Yes girl! Survive! Whatever your life was to be before, it's dead and gone now!" You are now the property of Unisoryll the Hutt, who has decreed that you are to be a courtesan in his harem to pleasure whomever he commands, whenever and however he commands it."

"But I can't…"

"Forget you ever knew those words girl! And be glad really, Unisoryll has a lot of positions that are far far worse, like dinner for the Raithcats!"

"Raithcats?"

"Aye girl! Raithcats! They go crazy over twilek lekku. Just the lekku mind you nothing else."

"NO!" Zairielle cried out cradling her lekku protectively.

"It's up to you girl. I rather like you for some reason so I'm gonna put it to you straight up. You're alive and while I don't encourage hope, so long as you're alive the future is unknown. Right now you can force me to break you until you spend the rest of your life eagerly doing anything and everything to garner Unisoryll's favor."

"Or?" Zairielle asked swallowing hard.

"Or, you accept that you can't change anything now and learn what you need to in order to survive until you can."

"That's no choice at all." Zairielle said bitterly.

"No, it's not really." Broken Blade grabs Zairielle by the throat and lifted her off the ground! "And you had better be glad I'm even offering it to you at all. But I warn you now if you screw up and cause me grief for failing to break you properly and you're still here I will make those Raithcats seem tame compared to what I'll do to you in order to restore my own favor with Unisoryll. Am I clear?" Zairielle managed a nod even as she struggled for breath, her legs kicking futilely. "Good!" Broken Blade said as she dropped Zairielle in a heap. "Now get up and strip those rags off. Your new life is about to begin."

* * *

**Six months later.**

"Benevolent Unisoryll the girl has been trained as well as possible without removing her virginity but she isn't ready for that monster." Broken Blade tried to convince Unisoryll the Hutt.

"That's too bad. I promised him the pick of my girls for one night if he succeeded in the task I assigned him. He did so and after one look at her he would accept no other." The Hutt didn't relent.

"But my Master, we have plenty of other girls far more prepared to accomadate his…methods."

"Which is precisely why he doesn't want them. He knows not to permanently damage my property. She will recover from his attentions."

"As you will it master." Broken Blade acquiesced.

"Indeed. As always." Unisoryll said as Broken Blade left to prepare Zairielle for her first night of duty as a sex slave for Unisoryll the Hutt.

A male cry of rage and the sound of breaking glass had Broken Blade kicking down the door and rushing in the room where Zairielle had been "entertaining". Broken Blade saw the thickset man standing over a crumpled blue form with a broken bottle, still dripping blood, in one hand and the other hand holding his nose, also dripping blood. Zairielle at his feet was unconscious with a slowly spreading pool of blood growing from her head. The man turned to look at Broken Blade, "Your little whore wasn't trained very well. You can come in here and finish me off for her." He ordered.

"Whatever Unisoryll does to you for this you can be glad I'm not going to be the one in charge of _finishing _you off." Broken Blade said in a voice full of menace. The man however seemed oblivious to it as he reached for her. Sidestepping agilely Broken Blade kicked out and folded his knee sideways. He crumpled shrieking in pain. Broken Blade snorted in disgust and rendered him unconscious with another kick. Broken Blade sighed into the silence as she looked down at Zairielle, "Trouble just won't leave you alone will it little one?"

Later in Unisoryll's audience chamber the man, in a leg brace and using crutches with a face still covered in blood from his broken and very crooked nose, dug the hole he was in even deeper.

"I demand recompense!" Dirren exclaimed grandly, or would have if his broken nose clogged with dried blood hadn't mangled his words.

"Dirren you amaze me." Unisoryll said softly.

"Unisoryll?" Dirren queried not expecting such a reply.

"No one has ever lost my favor as quickly as you."

"She broke my nose! I can't b…" Dirren started trying to defend himself.

"I gave you one rule!" Unisoryll roared. "One rule! No permanent damage! Now you have cost me a great deal, and you stand before me and demand more from me! The manner of your death is getting worse by the moment!" Unisoryll raged.

"Death?!" Dirren exploded. "You would kill me over a little slip of a whore, who can still be used?" he asked incredulously.

"She would have been my top reward to those who please me for years if not decades. Now she's next to useless due to your act. You owe me more than you have any ability to repay."

"But look what I brought you. I weakened the Banshees so you could take their territory!" Dirren said talking fast.

"Yes you did, which is why I was going to give you a quick and easy death." Unisoryll said.

"Wait! Wait! I can make up for this." Dirren claimed.

"Not likely, but by all means try and convince me otherwise." Unisoryll urged.

"It's right up your flight path!" Dirren started. "Slave trade to the Sith Empire!"

"The Sith don't need any new slave traders. I know this as I have tried repeatedly to tap into that market." Unisoryll replied.

"Right right, cause the Bloodhawks have a corner on it. But I have an in with them. I can set them up for you just like I did the Banshees. Once you take them over and keep their promised delivery to the Sith, the Sith will continue using you for their slave needs until you fail them. That's constant major revenue I can put in your hands." Dirren finished. Unisoryll was silent for long moments considering Dirren's proposal.

"Very well. You have bought a chance at life."

"Thank you mighty Unisoryll. You won't regret this I swear!" Dirren said elated.

"I hope not for your sake. Remember Dirren if you fail or try to run and I have to hire a hunter to track you down I will make you scream for death but when I offer it you will scream for the torment instead." Unisoryll said in a menacing Hutt whisper.

"Understood mighty Unisoryll." Dirren said after swallowing hard.

"Go then and start on your task, but update me often so I don't think you have tried to run."

"Yes mighty one!" Dirren said and scrambled out as quickly as he could. On his way out he glared fiercely at Broken Blade and Zairielle.

"So my Broken Blade you have failed me." Unisoryll said to Broken Blade.

"Have I oh mighty one?" Broken Blade answered with the question. "I told you she was not ready for his form of _entertainment_."

"Yet it was your task to prepare her and her lack of preparation has cost me a valuable asset."

"Cost you? She still lives might Unisoryll and is relatively undamaged thanks to my intervention. A little Kolto and she will be back in perfect form ready to complete her training." Broken Blade retorted.

"You know Kolto is extremely scarce due to the war."

"Yes I know" Broken Blade answered. "I also know you have acquired a respectable supply."

"It cost me much to acquire too. Until supply lines open up again that supply is for my use only. I will not waste it on property that no matter how valuable can easily be replaced."

"I see. Your plans for her now then?" Broken Blade asked.

"With scars like she'll end up with she's useless with your girls, and she's too slight for labor. Throw her in the pens and let them do with her as they will for so long as she lasts." Unisoryll blithely said as if the person he wasn't condemning to a horrible fate wasn't standing right there. After six months training under Broken Blade however Zairielle managed to hide her reaction and stood motionless besides her holding the bandages to her still slightly bleeding face.

"Is that the only value you can see in her Mighty One?" Broken Blade challenged.

"Do you see more?" Unisoryll questioned in turn.

"I do. In the Arena she will become more profitable for you than she ever could have been on her back." Broken Blade claimed.

"You jest with me my Broken Blade!" Unisoryll roared with Huttesse laughter. "A slip of a girl like that wouldn't stand a chance in the Arena!"

"That's exactly what those who bet against her will think." Broken Blade assured the Hutt.

"Implying I should bet on her? Why would I?" the Hutt inquired.

"Because I will train her!" Broken Blade exclaimed. "It was only through sheerest misfortune that I ended up your Broken Blade and not your slayer. I can make her a terror for any opponent."

"It's true you came closer to being my end than any other who has tried. But you swore you would never fight in the arena or train others to fight in the arena for me. Why go back on that now and if you do go back on that oath how can I trust you to keep your other oath to never attack me or otherwise seek my death again?" Unisoryll demanded.

"Because I am not breaking those vows. I will not fight for you as an arena slave and I will not train her to fight for Arena combat. I will train her to fight as my chosen apprentice in the arts of assassination and if she uses those abilities in the Arena to survive well I have no control over that."

"Hmmm….are you willing to tie your fate to hers?"

"I am. And even more I propose a wager on her first fight."

"What sort of wager?" Unisoryll asked clearly intrigued.

"If she dies or otherwise loses you kill me in whatever horrible spectacle you desire."

"And if she wins?"

"I get the chance to be a Broken Blade no more! I get to face your top enforcer one on one and hand to hand. I win I become your top enforcer." Broken Blade laid it all out for the Hutt.

"You think to sway me by offering me a win win scenario do you?" the Hutt asked.

"I do. One way I lose everything though and you only win a little. The other way I win big and you win huge."

"Interesting! When?"

"I get a year to train her and her first match has to be one I agree to."

"Someone from the same batch she was brought in with? There are still a few of them here. And my man has a similar chance to train her opponent?"

"Hand to hand and melee weapons only." Broken Blade added.

"Agreed." The Hutt announced.

"Agreed!" Broken Blade declared.

"Done then. Your year starts now. Train her well for I have a year to plan the spectacle of your execution." Unisoryll said with an evil chuckle. Broken Blade only gathered Zairielle in one arm and herded her out of the chamber.

* * *

**One year later.**

At fourteen years old Zairielle stood in the center of Unisoryll the Hutt's arena and listened to the crowd's eager calls for her death. Standing in a battle wrap and nothing else she looked around fearfully at the crowd laughing and pointing at her as the announcer continued his pre battle introductions over the PA system.

"and her opponent and fellow captive, Bo!" the Announcer finished as opposing doors opened and Bo stepped out looking far more muscled and massive than he used to.

"You!" Bo screamed pointing at her.

"No!" Zairielle yelled looking wildly around for escape.

"Combatants to the center of the Arena now or be burned down where you stand." The Announcer ordered. Bo almost ran to the center in his eagerness to get Zairielle. As he neared he reached out for her but stopped short as a blaster bolt screamed into the ground at his feet. "Ah ah! You have to wait for the command to start!" the Announcer chided Bo. Cringing back from the much larger man Zairielle could only look at him and quiver in fear. The crowd reached a fever pitch calling for the match to start!

"I'm gonna get you now Bilge Rat!" Bo snarled at her.

"NO! Oh please no!" Zairielle wailed.

"Oh yes! I'm gonna beat you until your face is pulp and then I'm gonna take you right here for all to see! Then I'm gonna choke you to death with your own Lekku!" Bo announced and the crowd roared their approval!

"Noooo!" Zairielle cried out and fell back a step just as the Announcer ordered the fight to begin!

"Fight!"

Bo lunged forward reaching for his prey! Zairielle reversed her direction and snapped a foot into Bo's crotch! Bo collapsed to his knees, hands clutching his groin! Before he could completely collapse Zairielle gripped his head and slammed two hard knees into his right eye. Bellowing in rage Bo tried to wrap Zairielle in his arms but she had already gone up and over rolling down his back where she snapped a heel into his left kidney! Bo rolled forward and came up to one knee off balance and glaring at Zairielle out of his left eye as she stood 5 ft. away smirking at him. The crowd simply looked on in stunned and silent amazement.

"Wow! I got pretty lucky there didn't I?" she exclaimed.

"What do you mean bitch?" Bo snapped. Zairielle just glanced at his crotch which he still cradled protectively.

"Lucky I was able to hit such an incredibly small target of course!" Zairielle trilled laughing.

Bo screamed in rage and leapt to his feet in a rush and charged at her. He pulled up short however, and protectively covered his crotch again as Zairielle faked another kick in that area. Before he could recover she jumped high and drove her heel into his right eye! Bo staggered back and turned in an attempt to protect his right eye, which was already swelling shut. Zairielle took the opportunity and sprang forward with a double footed kick at Bo's left knee! There was an audible pop as Bo's left leg folded in a direction nature had never intended and he collapsed to the ground and screamed in agony. Zairielle turned her attention to the still silent crowd. Raising her arms high she yelled out her triumph and before she had finished the crowd was answering her. Zairielle turned then to the private box where Unisoryll and his most favored guests were watching the spectacle.

"Oh Mighty and Masterful Unisoryll I dedicate this death to you. But I beg of you oh Benevolent one, grant me a weapon that I may offer you a death worthy of your Majesty!" she called out.

"A weapon such as that would destroy the planet!" Unisoryll boasted. "You will have to make do with a simple blade for now." The Hutt answered her and a slim knife hit the ground at her feet. "But remember, what one receives in my Arena all receive." He claimed. Zairielle turned as she picked up her knife to see Bo rising to one knee holding a massive hunting blade in hand. As Bo staggered upright on his one good leg Zairielle turned back to face Unisoryll and saluted him with her slim blade to the crowds roars of approval.

"I'm gonna gut you like the bilge rat you are!" Bo snarled at her.

"What you're going to do is die. Badly." Zairielle answered him and started to circle to the left around the injured man forcing him to hobble on his good leg to keep his injured leg away from her and her in front of him. Then just as he hopped one more time to keep up with her Zairielle reversed direction to her right. As he desperately tried to reverse as well and swipe his massive blade at her she again reversed direction on him. Trying to keep up with the swift changes Bo put his weight on his injured leg and went down to one knee yelling in pain! Easily ducking under his wild swipe intended to keep her away Zairielle almost delicately jabbed Bo's back with her knife as she glided past. Bo however stiffened in agony and was unable to even scream. "Oh look! I got your spleen!" Zairielle crowed. "Let's see if I can hit a kidney this time!" she continued and before Bo could respond and defend she did just that, again dipping her slim blade into Bo's back. The agony had Bo motionless in excruciating pain and Zairielle continued moving around in front of him and in a lighting fast move she again plunged her blade into his gut and drug the tip across his innards before pulling the knife back out leaving only a small puncture wound! Stepping back just out of range Zairielle stopped and just stared into Bo's eyes until impossibly they widened even further in pain and he dropped his knife, grabbed his gut, and started howling in agony! Zairielle turned from him and threw her hands in the air triumphantly and faced Unisoryll the Hutt.

"Why do you celebrate early?" Unisoryll questions her. "Your foe is still alive."

"Oh he is dying Mighty Unisoryll, and the incredible pain he is feeling will only grow greater as his own stomach acid, which I set free with that last cut, slowly destroys his internal organs." Zairielle assured the Hutt. As if in response to her words Bo's screams did grow louder and higher at that moment. The crowd was silent awaiting Unisoryll's reaction, knowing he had fully planned on this being an execution for the young Twilek. With a low laugh the enormous Hutt broke his silence.

"Well done little one. You have earned the right to continue fighting for life in the Arena."

"As you wish Mighty Unisoryll."

"Of course. Now silence. A man's death song can be a beautiful thing and you have this one singing so well. I don't want to miss it. You are still mine but aside from that you have the run of my palace." The Hutt announced before focusing his attentions on Bo's wailing. Zairielle bowed low to the Hutt then turned and left the arena.

* * *

**Six months later.**

Six deadly Areana battles later Zairielle was not sure how much longer she could survive. Every fight was tougher than the last. She knew it was just a matter of time until that fat slug pitted her against odds she couldn't overcome. Broken Blade, now known as Stiletto, after her favorite weapon for carrying out assassinations, could not help her. Unisoryll the Hutt kept his new top enforcer running across the galaxy hunting down those who had displeased the Hutt. Standing on an upper balcony Zairielle watched the Hutt hold court below. She could not make a break for freedom until she somehow disabled or removed the explosive charge implanted in her skull and she knew no one capable or brave or stupid enough to go against the Hutt and remove it for her. Still she was contemplating an escape attempt anyway if only to enjoy a few breaths of freedom before death when chaos erupted below her.

Unisoryll suddenly reared his bulk up and yelled for his guards, demanding to know who a cloaked figure standing just inside his audience hall was!

"Who? Hey! Stop you!" came from the Hutt's dazed appearing guards as they belatedly moved to encircle the being who only laughed at them.

"So! Hutts really are resistant to mind manipulation. Well know this Unisoryll, the Sith Empire has noted your failure and I Lord Malovar have been sent to ensure you regret it!" the mysterious being exclaimed.

"What failure?!" the Hutt demanded!

"You assumed control of the Blood Hawks and accepted their obligations to the Empire!"

"I did and have sent the Empire many fine slaves in fulfillment of those obligations." Unisoryll claimed.

"Indeed. All was most satisfactory until now." Malovar said.

"What are you talking about? A slave shipment was just sent to you."

"It never made it to the Empire. Supposedly the shipment was intercepted by the Republic and the slaves freed. It's a risk of the business and normally wouldn't be a concern so long as a replacement shipment was arraigned quickly. The apprentice assigned the task of dealing with your local supervisor sensed something amiss, however, and investigated more thoroughly. It turns out your man Dirren faked the interception and sent info on that shipment of slaves the Empire had already paid for to another buyer so they could intercept the shipment after it had been delivered to us. The rival buyer faked being Republic agents to avoid suspicion." Malovar explained.

"Dirren! Again you cause me grief! Know that Dirren acted alone and in doing so has betrayed me! I will make such an example of him that none of mine will ever dare follow his example!" Unisoryll raged.

"Too late. Dirren is now in our possession and his eventual death will be legendary! The other buyers have already been dealt with as well."

"The Red Comets." Unisoryll said. "They went silent very suddenly."

"Perceptive!" Malovar said approvingly. "That only leaves you. As head of the organization that employed Dirren the Empire holds you responsible for his actions."

"I will of course make good on my obligation to the Empire for the lost shipment. I also offer a second shipment free of charge to make up for any inconvenience Dirren may have caused the Empire." Unisoryll said.

"I would have accepted that offer, but the Dark Council itself has decreed your death." Malovar said in mournful tones.

"The Dark Council…Guards! Kill him!" Unisoryll roared suddenly and a powerful force field appeared around his dais. Quick as they were to respond the Sith Lord was faster still, exploding into action he quickly cut down several of Unisoryll's guards. Looking around wildly for more bodies to put between himself and the deadly Sith Lord Unisoryll's frantic gaze met Zairielle's. "Don't just stand there! Fight!" the Hutt ordered her.

"Fight for what Master?" Zairielle asked instead. "The _privilege_ of getting another opportunity to go back to the Arena and die for your pleasure? No thank you Master. I have a better chance of improving my life if he succeeds."

"You traitorous little…." Unisoryll started to rant.

"I can't be a traitor when you never had my loyalty in the first place. I've done what I've had to in order to keep living not out of loyalty to you. But I've come to realize I'm dead either way. I'll die eventually in the Arena or I'll die one day just because you felt like killing me. Either way I'm still a dead slave." Zairielle broke into the Hutt's rant all the while making a point of watching the Sith tear through Unisoryll's guards.

"Defend me and I'll free you from the Arena. Never again will you be forced to step in it and fight for your life!" Unisoryll offered her.

"I'll not whore for you again!" Zairielle said emphatically.

"No!" Unisoryll agreed. "Better! I shall apprentice you to Stiletto again. You will be free to roam the Galaxy fulfilling my tasks. You will have power and luxury. You will rank above all but myself and Stiletto."

"Now I have reason to fight!" Zairielle claimed and jumped down and kicked up one of the fallen guard's vibroblade. Catching its hilt in her hands Zairielle stood loose and ready facing the Sith Lord. Malovar, who had already killed all the guards facing him and had stopped in the middle of the chamber listening to the end of their bargaining. Waggling his crimson bladed lightsaber at her the Sith chuckled.

"A sword? Are you sure that's what you want to face me with?" he asked her. Zairielle looked at him archly.

"Unless you have a spare lightsaber your care to loan me it would seem my best choice. You seem to have a nasty habit of blocking blaster bolts back at people who shoot at you."

"True!" Malovar said with a grin. "But the odds are still long in my favor."

"Of course they are." Zairielle agreed with him. "But until I am dead there's always a chance the impossible can happen and the odds of it happening are greater if I hold a blade rather than a blaster."

"You interest me young one." Malovar said and shut down his lightsaber and placed it on his belt. "But tell me, why place yourself in danger. If I kill him you would no longer be his slave at all. And as you already said you owe him no loyalty."

"Pragmatism really. I'm still young but it's well known that when the Sith make an example of an organization they don't leave anyone alive. It sets a bad precedence and people might start thinking they can fail the Sith and live to tell the tale. Plus even if you were to let me live for whatever reason I still have this damned chip in my head waiting to explode and if I know Unisoryll he has it on a timer so that if he can't keep his property no one else will be able to either. Long and short of it is that I'm pretty sure I'm dead no matter what course I pick. This way I go down on my terms at least." She explained. The Sith just examined her for a moment then another vibroblade floated from the ground to his outstretched hand.

"I offer you somewhat better odds then young one. You are right when you say that impossibilities can happen. Show me what you are capable of when your dreams of freedom are on the line." The Sith said and stood waiting her attack.

Zairielle did just that. With a real chance, however slim, of attaining the power and luxury she had never stopped craving, even as a slave, she fought with all her skill and ambition focused to a razor's edge. To her surprise she did not die right away. And when her attacks backed the Sith up a step she started to hope. As her hope and desire grew so too did her strength and speed. Zairielle had never fought this well in the Arena and she didn't know where her new found prowess came from and she didn't care. Forging ahead she pressed harder and the impossible happened. A lunge from the Twi'lek caught the Sith in the left shoulder and the tip of her blade came back wet with blood and the Sith stepped back again. Hoping to capitalize on the injury Zairielle raised her blade high and moved forward but the Sith snapped forward and his foot lashed out and caught Zairielle square in the gut. Stunned, Zairielle couldn't react to the massive blow that ripped her blade from her hands. She fell back desperately trying to gain some space but the Sith forced her to duck an overhand blow only to catch a knee to the face. Zairielle's dreams fled as blackness swallowed her.

"Well Unisoryll, alone at last." Malovar addressed Unisoryll as he stepped over the limp form of the young Twi'lek.

"You cannot beat this shield." Unisoryll claimed. "It is strong enough to survive an orbital bombardment!"

"Really?" Malovar asked sounding interested. To test it he hurled his vibroblade at the field and watched as it was instantly vaporized with a loud crack at the instant of impact. "Interesting." Was all the Sith said and then tested the field with his lightsaber. While the saber wasn't destroyed neither was the force field.

"See you cannot reach me." Unisoryll says as Malovar puts his saber back on his belt.

"Oh I'm not done yet." The Sith said and extending both hands leveled a massive burst of Force lightning at the Hutt. Unisoryll laughed when the lightning was also ineffective.

"Satisfied yet? You cannot break this shield." Unisoryll gloated.

"You shouldn't underestimate the power of the Dark Side." Malovar answered. "Given proper incentive I could bring it down, but I'd rather use it instead."

"You bluster and bluff when your strength fails you!" Unisoryll laughed.

"No worm." Malovar said with a sinister edge to his voice. "Sith don't bluff." Malovar pointed at Unisoryll and slowly raised his hand. The Hutt roared in surprise as he slowly lifted off his dais and started to float toward the force field.

"No!" the Hutt yelled.

"Yes!" Malovar exalted as the Hutt continued to float toward his doom.

"Stop! If I die so do you!" Unisoryll cried desperately.

"Elaborate!" Malovar demanded as Unisoryll stopped and hung in midair.

"The instant I die or am removed unwillingly from here this place will be obliterated by an explosion big enough to destroy a capital cruiser!"

"I can sense the truth of that." Malovar said musingly. "Ah well, so be it." And the Hutt once again started moving toward its doom.

"Noooooo! Don't you want to live?" Unisoryll said in as close to a wail as a Hutt can manage.

"Of course I do." Malovar says calmly. "But if I must die I want to die clean. If I return to the council and you still live the death they will impose upon me will be hideous beyond your feeble imagining. I will die either way but you will die first and painfully, then I will go quickly and cleanly." The Hutt continues his slow drift toward the force field twisting in air so that his tail would hit the field first. Just before the Hutt made contact with the force field however it winked out and the large Hutt plopped to the ground heavily at Malovar's feet. The Sith slowly drew his lightsaber from his belt and snapped it to life. "So, coward that you are you avoid the quicker death from the force field and give me a chance to personally thank you for my impending demise."

"Wait!" Unisoryll wheezed painfully. "There…is another…way!"

"Not likely but go ahead and make your pitch. It gives me more time to think of, creative, uses for my Saber." Malovar said with a sadistic glint in his eyes.

"Unisoryll the Hutt must die, but you and I don't have too. Free me and I will be Unisoryll no more. Instead a new Hutt will take up residence on the far side of Republic space. With this place leveled you may return to your council and report the death of Unisoryll and claim your rewards from them." The Hutt laid out his plan.

"So you offer me a life where my deceit could be revealed at any time. You will have to make me a far better offer than that." Malovar sneered at the Hutt. "I should kill you here and now for even making such a weak offer!"

"I have much wealth here. All of it is yours!" Unisoryll pleaded.

"Your trinkets are worthless compared to the wealth of the Empire. However," Malovar glances at Zairielle who had regained consciousness. "I will take that one."

"No. I need her to…"

"You would prefer the alternative?" Malovar said as his crimson blade dipped closer to the Hutt.

"Ok! Ok. She's yours. I'll give you the codes to her slave chip." Unisoryll relented waving his small arms frantically.

"I won't need them. Shut down the chip so that I can have it removed safely." Malovar ordered the Hutt.

"Suit yourself." The Hutt said. Just then the doors blasted open and Stiletto glided through them and quickly assessed the situation in the room. Seeing the Sith with his saber lit she dropped her blaster and drew her own blade and started to move forward. "Stop!" Unisoryll commanded his enforcer.

"I can take him. I've killed Force users before." Stiletto assured Unisoryll.

"No my Stiletto. Even if you did kill him it would change nothing. The Dark Council has decreed that Unisoryll the Hutt must die in payment for Dirren's crimes against the Sith Empire. In order to live that must appear to have happened. Go and ready the escape ship. It isn't traceable to me and it has everything we need to start over far away from the Sith Empire.

"Yes Benevolent Unisoryll." Stiletto said as she straightened from her combat crouch.

"Unisoryll the Hutt is dead. I am now Carul the Hutt. Now go." Stiletto said nothing more but left the room silently. "Thus I uphold my end of the bargain."

"Indeed. Then we shall depart as well. Meet me in orbit directly overhead so that I may verify the sites destruction." Malovar said.

"Agreed." Carul the Hutt said and started laboriously climbing back onto his floating dais. Malovar turned from the Hutt and faced the Twi'lek girl.

"You, what is your name?" he asked her.

"It's Zairielle." She said helplessly.

"Well young Zairielle I am Lord Malovar but until I tell you otherwise you will refer to me as Master, understood?"

"Yes Master." Zairielle said with tears in her eyes. "What type of slave am I to be for you Master?" she asked.

"The most profound sort possible." He answered. "A slave in mind, body, and spirit."

"I'll never be free again will I?" Zairielle said hopelessly not even expecting an answer and not really wanting to hear the one she expected if he did answer her.

"You will be free and have free will though young one." Malovar surprised her though. "That is what will make this slavery so profound. You will desire it. You will crave it beyond all else. And you will fight and kill anyone who threatens to come between you and it. Come we will talk of it as we go to my ship." Malovar said and the two started walking.

"The only thing I want that badly is my freedom!" Zairielle retorted.

"That's an immediate want not your real desire." Malovar said calmly.

"What do you know of me and my desires!" Zairielle demanded.

"More than you yourself do probably." Malovar answered her. "I was able to delve deep into your essence while we fought. You, more than just craving power, truly believe it should be yours by right don't you?" Malovar coaxed her with the Force as well as his words.

"Of course I do!" Zairielle exclaimed! "More than that useless Flit Zoewii ever did! But did she ever speak for me when she was given what I deserved? No! She was all Master Saravell can see no potential in you. Master Saravell can't teach where there is no spark! You have to stay here and grub in the dirt Zair! You're just a common nobody and nothing Zair! It's not right! It's not fair! I had that incompetent Jedi she worships test me over and over but all she ever said was, I'm sorry you just don't have the potential to be a Jedi." Zairielle would have continued on in full swing but Malovar shut her down with one small sentence.

"And in that she was correct."

"What?!" Zairielle said indignantly. "You haven't even tested me! How could you possibly know something like that?"

"Because elaborate testing rituals aren't needed. This Jedi Master of, Zoewii was it? A Sister I presume?" Zairielle only nodded. "Anyway the Jedi used elaborate and difficult appearing rituals to make you believe what she wanted you too."

"Then she was lying to me? I really do have potential to be a Jedi?" Zairielle said hope flaring in her despite who she was standing in front of and talking to.

"No. As I said she was correct in that. There is no force in the Galaxy that could make you a Jedi." Malovar said in tones of such certainty that Zairielle was crushed.

"But you said she was deceiving me." Zairielle said in a small pathetic voice.

"Yes she was. Like me she knew being a Jedi wasn't your true desire." Malovar told her.

"But it is!" Zairielle said fiercely! "It's all I've ever wanted!"

"Wrong!" Malovar said loudly and Zairielle cringed away from him. "If that was truly your desire you would have a more accurate picture of what it is to be a Jedi. And if you had that accurate picture of what a Jedi is you would never want it."

"Again you claim to know what I truly want and desire better than I do." Zairielle snapped flustered.

"I do indeed!" Malovar assured her.

"Then enlighten me!" Zairielle demanded. "Tell me why I don't desire what I have desired my whole life!"

"Very well. To be a Jedi is to put the needs of others above one's self always. Their abilities and power are never used for themselves but only to aid others. Jedi for all their apparent magnificence are nothing but servants to others and no matter how much of themselves they give it is never enough. That is what it is to be a Jedi and that is not what you truly desire is it?" Malovar finished looking deep into Zairielle's eyes.

"No!" Zairielle gasped looking horrified.

"No indeed." Malovar said. "That is the polar opposite of your desire. You above all else want power. Power to be ruled over by no one. Power to be admired and feared by those who oppress you. Power to live your life as you wish and make others trip over themselves trying to give you what you want."

"Yes!" Zairielle said looking dazed. "Yes that's why I want to be a Jedi and now you too are telling me it's impossible. Just kill me now." Zairielle said in utter dejection.

"But there is a difference between the Jedi and myself. I say you can never be a Jedi because there is no way you can ever truly be a real Jedi. Your Sister's Jedi Teacher told you that you could never be a Jedi to prevent you from ever attaining your true desire. She knew there is a way you could attain the power you crave so in order to prevent it she lied to you without lying to you."

"I'm so confused!" Zairielle wailed. "If I can't be a Jedi but can have power how do I get it if I can't use the Force?"

"Says who?" Malovar asked her with a grin.

"You and Saravell both say I have no potential as a Jedi."

"True. But Jedi aren't the only ones with power are they?" he asked her laying a hand on his chest.

"Oh!" she gasped. "But Sith use the Dark Side, I couldn't use it." She said.

"Why ever not?" Malovar asked her with humor in his voice.

"Well as I understand it Sith channel their hate to gain Dark Side power and I, I just don't hate that much." Zairielle explained.

"And just where did you come by that bit of information? Overhear your sister's Jedi perhaps?"

"Well yes, but…Do you mean she…she lied?!" Zairielle asked incredulously.

"No." Malovar said. "She spoke the truth in that Sith can use their anger to fuel their power, but she did deceive by not mentioning the rest. It's not just anger but all emotions, indeed it is passions that fuels the Dark Side. Anger, Love, Revenge, Desire. And it is desire that is your key Zairielle! Desire for the power you deserve. Come with me and learn the secrets of the Dark Side and you will know such power as your sister never will!" Malovar urged her as the two entered his ship.

"More than Zoe…" Zairielle started her eyes lighting with avarice. "Yes! Teach me! What must I do?" she demanded.

"As an alien non Sith you will have to work harder and be better than Pureblooded Sith to rise in our ranks. You will need to drop your rural past and take on the mannerisms and customs of the Empire. And perhaps hardest of all for you, before you can rise to the heights you must totally submit yourself in all ways and embrace the Dark Side." Malovar left no room for doubt that he expected just that. Zairielle's eyes hardened momentarily but then she abased herself completely before Malovar.

"I am yours my Master. Please teach me." She begged.

"I shall young one I shall. But come we need to get this ship aloft and make our rendezvous in orbit to ensure that our agreement with Carul goes as planned."

Shortly as they neared the meeting point in orbit above the planet sensors on the console started beeping in strident tones.

"What is it Master?" Zairielle asked.

"According to my instruments Unisoryll's compound has just exploded! And every bit as violently as he promised it would. But I'm surprised he set it off early before we caught up with him." Malovar answered her just as another warning flared to life. "Collision alert! But I see nothing out there!" He said just as a dark shape detached itself from the inky blackness of space in front of them and formed into the slowly freezing bulk of a large Hutt, with a slim stiletto knife stuck between its eyes, that bounced off the prow of the ship and narrowly missed sliding up the view ports of the cabin and floated off into deep space.

"Master, what's happening?" Zairielle asked. But before Malovar could reply the comm panel chimed so he answered it instead. A holo of Stiletto appeared.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bounce the Hutt off your hull but you have to get rid of them quickly or they leave all sorts of a mess as they die." She said.

"That's quiet all right, but I must admit to being rather surprised at this turn of events." Malovar answered the assassin.

"It's my offering to you. I would ask something in return." Stiletto said.

"And what is that?" Malovar inquired.

"I want Zairielle back. In return you may take public credit for Unisoryll's death and not have to worry that your Dark Council will ever find out you let it live."

"But Stiletto, how could you kill it?" Zairielle broke in. "You swore not to and you never break a vow."

"I swore not to kill Unisoryll the Hutt. I never said anything about not killing Carul the Hutt. You heard him yourselves in the audience room. He declared Unisoryll to be dead and claimed the identity of Carul. I've had plenty of time to secretly counter his defenses on his bug out ship just in case the opportunity ever presented itself. I took great joy in sliding that blade between his eyes! Finally my assignment is complete and I can go home once more. I would take you with me Little One."

"But I thought you couldn't go home ever again?" Zairielle said.

"I couldn't until my task was finished. My people don't care how long it takes so long as the job is done."

"How can you offer me the credit for the kill when you will need to use it for yourself then?" Malovar broke into the discussion.

"We are a private people who only promise that a mark will die, not when, where, or how except that it will be by our hand. All we tell a client afterwards is that it is done."

"I see. And I may honestly tell the Dark Council that I caused the circumstances that led to his death. I accept your offer." Zairielle gasps at his sudden acceptance. "With on alteration."

"What alteration?" Stiletto asked looking sharply at Zairielle.

"I propose that Zairielle freely choose her path."

"How can she do that standing in your power?" Stiletto asked warily.

"Dock with my ship. I will stay here on holo and she can cross over and speak with you and make her decision there." Malovar offered.

"Very well." Stiletto said grudgingly. The ship to ship connection was made and Zairielle crossed over to speak with Stiletto. "He is confident of your choice or he wouldn't have sent you over, but I have to try. Know Little One that my people do not keep our own children to train as our apprentices. We always pick someone strange to us that we have had the opportunity to make an impartial assessment of. That apprentice becomes our family and closer to us than our biological children ever will. I would choose you Little One. I would teach you all that I know and make you one of the best my people have ever seen!" Stiletto said and for the first time Zairielle could hear emotions in her voice.

"You want me to join your people? To join you?" Zairielle asked amazed.

"I do." A misty eyed Stiletto answered. "I would have you be my Little One and help you become someone even Hutts quake in fear of!" Stiletto opened her arms and Zairielle rushed into them to be hugged. But even as she was about to agree with Stiletto's offer she saw the holo of Malovar on his ship. The Sith was meditating and the aura of his power was radiating visibly around him. She pulled back from Stiletto.

"Yesterday I would have said yes." She told the older woman. Stiletto looked at the holo that Zairielle was looking at.

"I see. And is the power he dangles before you truly worth more to you than all I have offered?" she asked.

"Yes." Zairielle said with no hesitation. "I am sorry, but yes." Stiletto backed away from the girl.

"So be it. Your choice has been freely made and you have your path to follow. I offer one bit of advice to the one I would have called my own. While this one appears to be treating with you honestly at this moment never blindly trust any Sith! Loyalty and honor are used by them only for personal gain. The moment deceit and treachery will gain them more is the moment they will betray you."

"I understand." Zairielle said.

"Not truly. Not yet. But you will one day. I hope you survive the lesson. Now go rejoin your new Master."

* * *

**4 Years Later**

Zairielle promptly responded to her Master's summons but didn't let her haste show in her voice. "You have need of me…My Master?" she asked in a drawling sarcastic voice. Lord Malovar did a double take and then smiled.

"It still amazes me how different you sound when you affect the speech patterns and accents of Imperial society." He told her.

"Yes…I have made it my own." It is more natural to me now than my old way of speaking. It's a pity my voice isn't lower though. I would sound so much better if it were." Zairielle answered in the Aristocratic cadences of Imperial high society.

"That's the least of our worries now." Malovar told her.

"Why? What has happened?" Zairielle asked.

"I have secured your admission to the Sith Academy on Khorriban to take the trials and earn a true Master." He explained.

"And that's not a good thing? Why, pray tell?"

"Your sister." Malovar said.

"What?" Zairielle asked perplexed. "Precious little Zoewii is off somewhere letting the Jedi teach her how to enslave herself to the "Good of the People" How can she possibly be standing in my way now!" she demanded.

"By being a damned powerful Jedi! Not only has she become a prominent Jedi Master she has personally killed several very powerful Sith. Her face has become very well-known and hated and you resemble her enough you could almost be twins!"

"What does that matter? I am not her. I'll hunt her down myself once I'm fully trained. I can even be a good source of information on her. This could be an advantage for me." Zairielle said already plotting.

"I trained you better than that! Stop being stupidly naïve and think! What was the last bit of advice that woman assassin gave you?" Malovar said heatedly.

"Never to trust the Sith. If they can gain personally by betraying me they will." Zairielle said remembering the last time she had seen Stiletto.

"She was right! If the powers that be found out your connection to her they would first torture you to glean all your knowledge of her. Then they would dangle you as bait to lure her into a trap. Lastly just when she thought she was going to free you they will kill you very painfully so they can use her turmoil against her. You, for all your potential, are nothing to them with that prize in the mix." He explained.

"Then why haven't you betrayed me and turned me over to them for your own personal gain." Zairielle asked not wanting to believe what he had told her.

"Because I wouldn't gain from it. When they learn how long I have known of your connection and not revealed it they will kill me. You can trust me to protect your secret because it is in my own best interest to do so." He said.

"So then I don't go to Khorriban. I stay with you and continue learning far away from anyone who might recognize me." Zairielle said.

"Impossible! Every apprentice must pass the trials on Khorriban or die. Anyone who has started learning the ways of the Sith who is judged too weak to even attempt the trials is killed. Failing the trials is death. Only by passing the trials and being selected as apprentice by a new Master will you gain access to the full knowledge and power of the Sith." Malovar told her. Zairielle pondered this information briefly before replying.

"Ok what solution do you have in mind that will allow me to take the trials without being recognized?" she asked.

"What makes you think I have a solution?" Malovar asked her.

"Because if you didn't your only option to prevent my discovery and your grisly demise would be to kill me and jettison my body out the airlock into a sun." Zairielle answered bluntly.

"True. But taking that option would be wasting the past several years and I hate wasting time. But I warn you what I have planned for you will be worse than anything the trials will make you face." He warned.

"Worse than the trials?" she said.

"Far worse." He confirmed. "The trials will test your knowledge and power, the ritual I propose will test your ability to face your inner self." He explained.

"I thought you said this would be difficult." Zairielle said flippantly.

"Beyond difficult. The potential rewards are great but few ever try it Of those who have, the only one currently living who wasn't killed out right or left a brain blasted drooling idiot is the Emperor himself, and it's only rumor that he did so. It takes a very strong willed person to truly face their inner nature."

"You paint a bleak picture. I die quickly, I die badly, I die hideously, or I beat overwhelming odds and live to gain from it. What was it I gained from it again?" she asked dryly.

"Such is the quest for power." Malovar said. "Through this Force ritual your physical body will change to match your inner self. The change might be mild or it might be profound. The reason those who have tried it have taken the extreme risk is that unknown potentials hidden away within are unlocked and in time may allow those successful to earn far more power than possible beforehand." Malovar told her.

"When do I start?" Zairielle asked.

"Then you wish to proceed? Despite the risks?" Malovar asked her.

"Well I certainly have no desire to die at your hands and that will be the easiest death available to me if I don't so I don't really have a choice now do I?" Zairielle said accurately summing up her options despite the sarcasm flooding her voice.

"Very well. I shall instruct you in the ritual but you will perform it yourself. It is not one I shall undergo willingly." He said.

In a private chamber Zairielle sank deeper into a meditative trance. She slowly became aware of herself floating in a massive vortex of purple energy. Its rippling currents threatened to sweep her away but a massive effort of will allowed her to remain in the eye of the storm. After holding steady for a bit she called out. "Is this it? Is this all there is to this test?" her mental voice rang out much lower pitched than her higher toned physical voice. A bolt of purple lighting speared out from the vortex and struck Zairielle in the center of her being!

"NO!" boomed out the voice of her Father. Convulsing from the energy Zairielle barely held on to her position in the eye of the vortex.

"Poppa." She said weakly sounding now like the child she had been the day he had expelled her from his home.

"Foolish, traitorous child!" his voice boomed out again and another bolt slammed into Zairielle from behind!

"Poppa." She stammered weakly. "Poppa wait…" another bolt slammed in from the side.

"You can not afford to wait…" her Father's voice boomed as another bolt arced in straight for Zairielle's head!

Barely holding her position in the storm and wracked with pain from prior hits Zairielle flung up a hand and out of desperation did the impossible and redirected the massive flow of energy!

"So!" the voice of her Father roared. "As always you seek to avoid your punishment!" another bolt arced in and again Zairielle managed to divert it with great effort.

"Who are you to punish me?" Zairielle gasped between heaving breaths of air.

"Who are you to deny you deserve it?" the roaring voice demanded as another bolt raced in. Zairielle managed to deflect this one as well but it was apparent she was weakening quickly. "You who betrayed those who loved and cherished you." The voice spat at her as images of Zairielle's family appeared and floated in the swirling storm around her.

"I didn't betray them! They betrayed me! They refused to allow me a chance to properly test for Jedi!" Zairielle screamed resentfully.

"Lies!" her Father's voice roared harshly. Crackling bolts seared in from every side and angle. Zairielle managed to deflect some but the rest slammed in causing her to scream in agony as her skin blistered.

"AAAAAAAAAA! AAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE! WHHHHYYYYYYYYY!" she wailed! "Why! Why are you doing this to me Poppa?"

"Foolish! Traitorous! Weak!" he raged. "How can you hope to grasp the truth of the power you crave when you can't even face the truth of yourself!" the voice demanded. Arcs of energy washed over Zairielle continuously. Her defenses smashed she convulsed helplessly under the raging torrent of energy, hopelessly caught and tossed back and forth by the swirling vortex of raw power! Losing the battle Zairielle's consciousness faded until she focused only on the glimpses of her life flashing before her as she died. Each brief vision of her former life was gone in an instant yet somehow lasted for hours before her eyes. One image that seemed to appear more often was of her sister's face full of disappointment the first time Zairielle had failed to test for Jedi Potential. She had forgotten that look on her Sister's face. Looking at it in that endless instant awareness struck her harder than the raw energy wracking her body.

She was insanely jealous of her Sister's becoming a Jedi. While she had always acknowledged that, she had lied to herself to justify that jealousy. Zoewii had honestly loved her and would have loved to share her abilities with her sister. Neither she nor her family had truly wished to hold her back. She had imagined they had to try and justify her jealousy. She accepted the jealousy but stripped it of the bitterness of false affronts and let them flow from her. Amazingly the pain wracking her eased as she did so. Accepting the truth of her family's true feelings toward her must have been the cause!

But with that thought the pain returned in full! It was so hard to think with all the pain! If only she had more power to block it. The thought of power seemed to call forth an image from the storm of the day Malovar had explained to her that she desired power, not being a Jedi. Was that the truth the voice had meant? This ritual was about her, not her family. She had acted as she had out of a desire for power not because of others actions and motivations, falsely given or not. She had acted for personal power to live her life as she pleased. Some did so by accruing money. Some did so through politics. Jedi did so by mastery of the Light side of the Force. Though they denied doing so for that reason, they still used that power to enforce their will upon those around them. And there were those who used the Dark Side of the Force to attain personal power. It seemed Zairielle's path to power lay on that latter path. Zairielle wanted power and she didn't need elaborate justifications for it. She only needed to accept the truth of it for herself! The sudden cessation of pain snapped Zairielle's awareness back to the storm around her. She floated in a calm center and neither the vortex nor the arcs of energy could breach her sphere of calm.

"Monster!" the voice raged at her. "You justify betrayal and abuse of others because everyone does it?" it said as the lighting crashing against her new aura doubled in intensity but it could not penetrate.

"False!" Zairielle answered back her strength returning as her mental voice deepened again. "I accept that I desire power and will do what I must to attain it. I neither need to nor desire to attempt to justify it. I crave power and I will drink it in till I'm full!" with that Zairielle reached out and the raw raging power around her started flowing into her now blazing aura. There it was filtered and refined until it was a smooth even flow that rushed into her being until she was suffused with the blazing ultraviolet energy and all around her was only the void, dark and empty.

Zairielle opened her eyes to see Lord Malovar staring at her. "And just what are you staring at?" she asked him archly only to break off in surprise at her voice which here in the real world now sounded deep and sultry as her mental voice had earlier. Her voice now perfectly matched her adopted accents of Imperial high society. Malovar managed to look even more stunned. Zairielle raised a hand to her throat. "Well that's definitely a major change and judging by the look on your face it's…not…the …only…" she trailed off her own face now echoing his stunned amazement as she looked at her hand. Her skin formerly a rich blue was now a light almost delicate green. "Mirror!" Zairielle said urgently! "I need a mirror!" Wordlessly Malovar pointed to a mirror on the wall. Zairielle leapt to her feet and rushed over to it to stare at the stranger who looked back at her. Gone, with her high pitched voice and blue skin, was the youthful and innocent beauty that had been her old face. In its place was one that while undeniably harder and hungry was also powerful and striking. Her lekku had new and unusual markings on them and her face was tattooed. The only feature that remained of who she had been was the large scar on the right side of her face. She made a small moue of disappointment and fingered the scar. "I had hoped this would be gone." She said.

"Without knowing what you saw or experienced I have no idea why that's still there. But, it seems to enhance your face now instead of marring it." Malovar offered.

"Hmmmm….Regardless, I see a stranger in the mirror now. Looking on from the outside was it as effective as I believe it to be? Is my true identity safe?" she asked.

"Completely." Malovar assured her. "The skin tone alone would have done the trick. The rest assures no one will ever even think of a Jedi when looking at you. But it's more than physical. You always had good potential and I knew you would do well but now your potential seems overwhelming! It wouldn't surprise me to see you on the Dark Council itself at some point in the future."

"Really?" Zairielle asked archly.

"Indeed!" Malovar said. "But that's in the future. Right now you have the trials and an apprenticeship to survive. And that's if you even get past Overseer Harken in the first place. The man's an absolute snob toward those who rise from the slave ranks so watch out for him. He will be out for your blood from the very start."

"When?" Zairielle asked eagerly.

"I drop you off at Khorriban tomorrow." Malovar told her.

"Good!" Zairielle exclaimed. "Then I still have one night to put this new body through its paces." She said as she strode to the door headed toward her cabin. At the door she paused and looked back over her shoulder. "Join me?" she asked archly and then made him chase her all the way to her cabin where she showed him her appreciation for giving her the chance to fulfill her ambitions. She had goals and nothing would stand in her way for long, now that she was on the proper path.

**The End of a Beginning**

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Author's note - A thank you to Cavik96 whose review prodded me into finding the edit feature on . The uploaded formatting was terrible but I am now able to correct it.


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